Got a Peugeot built in the last 10 years? Chances are, you’ve got an i-Cockpit and you may not have realised.
It might sound like something you’d go to the doctors about, but there’s no need to worry – it’s not contagious!
No, the Peugeot i-Cockpit system has been fitted in all of the brand’s recent models and it involves how you interact with the interior and the touchscreen. So…
What is Peugeot i-Cockpit?
A few years ago, Peugeot decided that looking through the steering wheel to see the dials was just plain wrong. So it started designing interiors with a teeny tiny steering wheel that sits on your lap like a ginger tabby cat, and a high-set instrument cluster above the wheel. i-Cockpit is the name of this design.
The majority of Peugeot i-Cockpit cars feature a digital instrument cluster – it’s Peugeot we need to thank for democratising digital dials.
Peugeot’s digital dials are crisp and colourful, and have a range of screen menus to scroll through. Some cars get a 3D-effect i-Cockpit display, which makes it look like the navigation pointer and key info are sitting above the screen and closer to your eyes.
In earlier Peugeot i-Cockpit cars, many people complained that they didn’t like the small, low steering wheel and that the wheel obscured their view of the dials. Nowadays, most people should be able to find a driving position that works for them as Peugeot’s honed the layout. As for the small wheel, it makes Peugeot’s cars feel more agile and fun to drive – a bit like a go-kart’s steering wheel.
Introduced on the new Peugeot 3008, the latest generation of i-Cockpit features a whopping 21-inch screen, including the central touchscreen and driver’s dials, which seem to float above the dashboard.
How to use Peugeot i-Cockpit
Once you’ve got used to the concept and found a driving position that works for you, using the i-Cockpit system is fairly easy. You can use the left-hand scroll wheel on the steering wheel to change the display screen, and the trip computer is accessed by pressing or holding the end of the wiper stalk.
Some more recent cars, like the new 5008, have replaced a scroll wheel with touch panels.
Accompanying the touchscreen is a row of shortcut buttons, which let you quickly get to the main radio or navigation menus, as well as some physical controls for the heating and ventilation.
Which cars feature Peugeot i-Cockpit?
Apart from the dinky 108, every Peugeot comes with the i-Cockpit setup. So, whether you want the smart 2008, the seven-seat 5008 or the razor-sharp 408, you’ve got plenty of choice of cars with high dials and small steering wheels.
Does Peugeot i-Cockpit come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
While ‘i-Cockpit’ refers to the driver’s area layout, with the small wheel and high-set display, the vast majority of Peugeots with i-Cockpit also come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard – letting you use your phone’s must-have apps on the car’s touchscreen. Some Peugeots will offer wireless CarPlay connectivity – if yours doesn’t, you’ll need to plug in a USB cable into the driver’s side USB socket.
What are Peugeot i-Toggles?
The name might be a little clunky but Peugeot’s i-Toggles are worth knowing about. In newer Peugeots – namely the 308, 408 and new 3008 and 5008 – there’s a row of shortcut tiles on a separate letterbox touchscreen beneath the main one.
As standard, the shortcuts are for the main functions like radio, navigation and climate. But you can configure them to your liking, so you could have the heated seat button as a shortcut, or your favourite radio stations.
